Courses

HISTORY 391: City and Civilization in the Eastern Mediterranean World

Istanbul was the capital of major world empires for the good part of two thousand years, from the 4th to the early 20th centuries. A center of attraction and consumption of the material products and a focal point of the intellectual and cultural heritages of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, Istanbul was also an important node of international trade and a cultural hotbed of the Eastern Mediterranean region. Throughout its history, Istanbul no doubt reflected its times; as an important urban center, it also shaped them. The extraordinary cultural and architectural heritage of the metropolis is witness to the important role it has played in the history of the eastern Mediterranean world. After the First World War, Istanbul lost the political base that had enhanced its significance for such a long time when Republican Turkey chose Ankara as its capital. In recent decades, however, the city’s inner dynamism along with the cultural and economic developments known as globalization have worked in combination to transform Istanbul into a multicultural metropolis, a problematic megacity that defies easy definition.

The course gives an overview of the Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and contemporary history of the city in the context of the civilizations of which it was and is a part. It identifies the main social, economic and cultural forces that shaped (and continue to shape) its development, provides insights into major research findings about the city and its civilizations, and demonstrates the connection between the built-up city and urban history. The course also focuses on the problems of contemporary Istanbul. It consists of three integrated components: lectures, class discussions, and excursions to important places and monuments in Istanbul. Two overnight excursions—to Edirne and the northwestern Anatolian town of Safranbolu—highlight Ottoman and Turkish urban structures that enable the student to put the Istanbul experience into context.

RELIGION 359: Islam and the West

Focusing on Islam and the West, this course maps out the framework of issues relating to Islam and the Western world. The course examines—among other things—the relationship between Islam and multiculturalism, colonialism, orientalism, occidentalism, imperialism, modernization, post-colonialism, post-communism, globalization, mysticism, the Ottoman Empire, the Balkans and the Middle East. The course also aims to give students a comparative perspective on the issues, ranging from Andalusia to the Ottoman Empire to Indonesia.

A historical account of early encounters between Islam and the Judeo-Christian West will be provided by examining fields of interaction in philosophy, science, and education. This will be followed by an analysis of Western perceptions of Islam during the Renaissance and Enlightenment, paving the way for modern conceptions of Islam and the Islamic world in the Western hemisphere. Special attention will be paid to the rise of the West as the supreme power in the modern world and its impact on the relationship of the two civilizations in negotiating various forms and patterns of encounter, challenge, rejection, reaction, and adaptation. The course consists of three integrated components: lectures, class-discussions, and an excursion focusing on Islamic versus western lifestyles in Istanbul.

Optional Independent study course